Seti slowly bowed his head.
“Why did not my father tell me?”
“Perhaps he did not want to agitate you unnecessarily—perhaps he wanted to see the young man and make inquiries about him, and learn more fully from the emperor himself all that was implied in the proposals before allowing you to be troubled with the matter. You see it was possible that such inquiries might show it best to decline the offer without its coming before you at all.”
“Grandfather, let it never come before me. In advance, I put it away from me with both hands.” And then suddenly: “Do you think father would be willing to sacrifice me, I do not say to ambition, for I know him incapable of that, but to what he thinks to be the interests of his people?”
“I think,” said Seti slowly, “that he might be willing to sacrifice himself for such an object, but would feel that he has no right to sacrifice you. Sacrifices of this sort must be voluntary.”
“Then I am safe,” she exclaimed, “for my will is all another way, and it has passed beyond my control. If a victim is needed for our people, let father lay me on an altar of stone or earth, as did our father Abraham his son Isaac, and I will die by his hand gladly; but to die all my life long on such an altar as Tiberius—this is beyond my power, even for the good of Israel. It seems to me an awful wickedness. I abhor the very thought of it.”
“And so do I,” said Seti. “I do not believe in doing evil that good may come, pagan though I——” (she put her hand over his mouth). “But they say that Germanicus is not a Tiberius, but is like his father, who was among the very best of the Romans, both in character and accomplishments; and is it not just possible that if the young man should come here in person to plead his own cause you would——”
“I would not, grandfather; if he should come to me with his head weighted with all the diadems that ever were worn, and with all the personal accomplishments that ever managed to flourish on a heathen, I would turn my back upon him. There, now! Bear witness, ye heavens!”
“I think I understand you,” replied Seti, after a moment. “I feel very much as you do about this matter, heathen though——” (she again hurried her hand to his mouth). “But do not speak in this way to others. I see that the matter is getting abroad, and you will be likely to get hints, inquiries, counsels, congratulations from many quarters. Take refuge in silence. By all means do not look like an empress, and an angry one, as you did just now. You shall not be crowded into the imperial throne for the sake of Israel, or for any other sake.”
She kissed him for answer; laid her head on his bosom; and, exhausted, went to sleep as he softly stroked her shapely head. So he sat and held her in his arms till the day was spent, and the old moon in the arms of the new looked in at the casement, and saw the new moon in the arms of the old. And those moons aloft that are never weary, and worried, and worn, shed tears over the sublunary ones whose lot is so different—tears which the very early risers in Alexandria, the next morning, mistook for dew. They were plain people; and, like most in University towns, were not much wiser for the University.